A Glimpse Upon a Future Christmas
by ChristinaL80
Summary: This corny one parter is my first Pacey and Joey fic I wrote a few years ago. Fifteen year old Joey gets a glimpse of her future wedding day. Also posted at Pages of True Love. I'm posting it here as I try and get into the holiday spirit and try to finish my other fic.


_**A Glimpse Upon a Future Christmas**_

Her head hit the pillow with a frustrated plop. How could he do something so asinine? Joey wondered. It was only a few short weeks ago that he'd shared her aversion to locking lips for Dawson's cinematic endeavor. What could have changed so quickly? Could one day's excursion searching for snails and having an impromptu swim make such a hormonal impact on him? Granted, he was an average fifteen year old boy, but she was still the cynical tomboy who'd gotten on his nerves. She thought of him as nothing more than an annoyance…Well, most of the time, Joey amended to herself as his words passed through her mind.

"_I was confused….and surprised…..and attracted."_

Confused and surprised Joey understood. Today was the first day in like….well forever that they did not need Dawson as a referee. Sure, they'd argued and threw insults at each other, but they also found something today…an understanding. An understanding that had started to come to light the day that his fling with Ms. Jacobs became gossip for the small town folk. Joey had reached out to him that day. And today, they had solidified that understanding when he told her that she would get out of Capeside. He believed in her, which, of course, was where the surprise and confusion took form.

But attracted? No, no way, no how. Why couldn't Dawson have been the one to notice her in a new light? Things would be much simpler if the one who she held affection for was the one to return the sentiment and not his sex crazed best friend.

As her lids started to flutter closed, she only hoped that tomorrow would return to normal….

The soft melody of "O Come All Ye Faithful" whispered through her ears as her eyes blinked open. Morning sunlight filtered through the window, or make those windows, which were not in her bedroom. They were made of stained glass, the type of stained glass that was found in church. Rainbow-colored sunrays danced on the ceiling of the chapel's back hallway. Joey blinked once, twice, three times. But it did not help.

Okay, this had to be a dream, Joey reasoned, but did people usually think they were in a dream when they were experiencing one?

Her feet began to slowly drift toward the soothing holiday music coming from the front of the church. Then, she heard faint voices from the other end of the hall. Joey turned around and saw a half-opened door .Curiosity got the better of her and she started walking hesitantly toward it. Her nerves were on edge. Goose bumps broke out on her arms. Calm down, Joey told herself as she put one foot in front of the other. No monsters, literally or figuratively, were lurking ready to attack. Somehow she knew that this was not that type of dream.

When Joey was a breath away from the door, she heard voices, familiar voices coming from inside a room. She slowly reached out and lightly pushed the door open. Piercing sunlight stung her blind. She shut her eyes, then strangely the rays gentled and soothed her, propelling her to enter.

The room was in a morning glow. Dust particles were visible floating around. Joey's eyes first went to the ice frosted windows and then they were drawn to the full length mirror next to it.

A bride with a long silk gown and dark hair was peering at her reflection, which was obscured by her maiden of honor looking over her shoulder. Bessie was looking over her shoulder, Joey realized. Suddenly the bride turned around…

Joey froze.

The woman was herself, the bride was herself. She was a slightly older version, maybe twenty five or so, but herself nevertheless. She had the same crooked smile, the same brown eyes. Everything about her was familiar, yet different. The woman was sophisticated and beautiful. Gone was the tomboyish girl who did not get the need for make up and who had felt inadequate. Replaced by a woman who knew who she was, or at least knew how to pretend that she was.

And she was getting married?

To whom?

Joey's reverie was interrupted by the bride's humored, impatient voice.

"Bess, will you stop. my hair is fine," she batted her sister's hand away

"Hold on, it just needs one more pin. Okay." Bessie stepped back and sighed, her eyes sparkling with happy tears. "Oh Jo, you look gorgeous! The groom will drop dead when he sees you."

"Well, the groom has to get here first in order to drop dead, " the bride countered with a roll of her eyes.

"I wouldn't worry," her sister tried to reassure. "It's Christmas Eve. The roads are jammed with last minute shoppers."

The bride gave a half-smile, "Knowing my husband-to-be, he's probably turning our apartment upside down looking for his lucky dress socks."

Her sister raised a brow, "He has lucky dress socks?"

"Well, at least it's not that awful goatee," the bride replied warily. "I told him I wouldn't marry him with that thing on his face."

She was going to marry someone who thought that luck came from facial hair? Joey of fifteen thought outrageously as she stood invisibly in the corner. Who was this guy? Thank God, this was a dream. This had to be a dream, right?

Gale Leery suddenly appeared in the room, "Well, ladies, looks like the men have arrived. Oh, sweetie, you look beautiful, "she gushed looking at the bride with motherly affection.

The wife-to-be gave a crooked, almost shy smile, before asking, "What was holding up the guys?"

"Apparently, there was a mix up with the tuxes, "Gale replied. "Pacey somehow ended up with a suit three sizes too small. He and Dawson had to rush over to the tailor and plead with him to open up shop and make a switch. Since the man lives right over the shop, he reluctantly agreed after some grumbling about being closed for the holiday."

"Leave it to Pacey to hold up her wedding," Joey of fifteen murmured to herself. But that brought up a question. Was she about to marry Dawson Leery? It was the only reasonable explanation. They had to rush to get tuxes. One would assume naturally that Dawson and Pacey were in the wedding party. But Dawson wouldn't have a lucky goatee, would he?

Gale's next words broke through her thoughts.

"I want to give you this to wear, " she held out a pearl necklace toward the bride. "Something borrowed. My mother wore this necklace on her wedding day and I wore it for my first wedding with Mitch. I know it's old-fashioned, but I'd be honored if you would wear it on your special day."

"Gale, I don't know what to say. I don't think…I mean Dawson and…"

The older woman interjected, "This has nothing to do with your history with my son. Honey, I care about you for you. And I'm happy you found true love."

The bride smiled slightly. Once she accepted the something borrowed and put it on, Bessie asked about the something blue, the something new, and the something old, cursing herself for forgetting.

"It's alright, Bess," the wife-to-be reassured. "Andie gave me the blue and the new." she lifted up the hem of her ivory gown to reveal a blue garter. "As for the old, I have Mom's bracelet." She said with poignant affection, holding up her arm to show off the shimmering piece of jewelry in the sunlight.

Fifteen year old Joey had become distracted with Gale's comment about her history with Dawson until she saw the bracelet. She had not seen it in the last six months and had gone insane trying to find it. Bittersweet emotion shined in her eyes as a memory overtook her.

_A twelve year old Joey watched her mother unnoticed from the threshold to her parents bedroom. Lillian Potter was sitting on the bed with a misty far away look on her face. After a few seconds, a worried Joey finally spoke up, "Mom, are you okay?"_

_Startled, her mother quickly fixed her composure, wiping at her moist eyes. "Joey, sweetie, when did you get home?"_

"_Just a few moments ago, " Joey walked into the room. "Are you okay," she repeated._

"_Yeah, yeah, " Lillian gave a half-smile. "I just found a bracelet that I had misplaced." she held open her palm to reveal the piece of jewelry._

_Her daughter's mouth made an identical half smile. "A bracelet makes you weep? I'm never becoming that type of woman." she declared with absolute certainly, sitting down Indian style on the bed._

_Her mother laughed before becoming serious, "I was just remembering when I received it."_

"_Did Dad give it to you?"_

"_No, not your father. Another boy."_

_Joey lifted a brow, "A boyfriend?"_

_Lillian shook her head. "Not exactly, "she said before falling silent. Joey thought that her mother would not continue, but then she started in a reflective tone._

"_His name was Chad Wise. He was the older brother of my best friend, Stacy. Growing up he'd liked to tease and annoy us. Putting ice cubes in our sleeping bags, stuff like that. And naturally, once I hit puberty, I developed a mad crush on him. He had striking looks, sandy hair and bright blue eyes. He was only two years older than me. And we also shared a common interest in painting and art."_

"_And let me guess, one night when the moon was full, Chad kissed you and gave you the bracelet," Joey supplied sarcastically._

_Her mother rolled her eyes, "Not exactly, I hid my feelings with cutting banter until the night of my eighteenth birthday party. Chad pulled me aside and gave me the bracelet. He said that he'd hoped that I'd wear it for my senior prom in two weeks and asked if he could be my escort. Of course, I was beyond surprised, but after a couple sarcastic one- liners, I…I accepted." she finished with a hint of sadness._

"_What happened?" _

"_Chad left to go back to college the next day and was…was killed in a car accident."_

_Joey felt her own eyes moisten, "Oh, Mom, " she exclaimed quietly, squeezing her hand._

_Lillian shrugged helplessly "life shouldn't be taken for granted and you shouldn't wait for life to happen to you. You have to make it happen while you can."_

_Joey brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you're talking about Dawson, we're just friends. He won't ever see me like Chad saw you."_

_Her mother smiled slightly, "I'm not talking about Dawson, or any other boy, but life in general. But since you brought it up, I think there will come a day when things will change with Dawson….and I wouldn't dismiss that other boy you chase around the creek."_

_Joey stared at her mother blankly for a second before her eyes bulged, "Pacey! Oh no! That weasel just annoys me. I don't have any hidden affection there. No way!"_

_Lillian looked at her daughter with a knowing smile. "All I'm saying is expect the unexpected and don't run from it."_

Her mother's words echoed in fifteen year old Joey's head as she looked at the bride who was lost in thought as well. The conversion with Lillian had been about six months before she was diagnosed with cancer. Expect the unexpected became more than just a wise aphorism. It became a reality from that point on. Unfortunately, so far the unexpected brought nothing but grieve. Her mother passed away and her father was in prison. Why wouldn't she run from the unexpected? She needed the expected. She needed to feel in control.

Did the bride still feel the same way?

Bessie whispered in her sister's ear. "Jo, are you all right? Where did you go?"

The bride shrugged, "Just thinking of Mom"

Bessie smiled, "Wherever Mom is, she is watching every moment of this day."

There was a tap on the open door and Dawson strolled into the bridal chamber. Joey of fifteen took in his appearance. He no longer seemed to have his boyish naiveté. He carried himself with a certain amount of cynicism like he stopped taking life's lessons from the film industry.

"I was hoping that I could have a second with the bride," he gave a hesitate smile, pounding his fist into the other palm.

Bessie and Gale excused themselves.

"So what's up?" the bride asked Dawson, putting in her earrings. 'How did Pacey manage to pick up the wrong tux?"

Dawson laughed uncertainly, "It…it was actually my fault. Pacey asked me to grab the suit when we went for the fitting the other day. There were two lying on a chair and I took the wrong one. I swear, " he held up his hands, "it wasn't an act of sabotage. I'm over that juvenile jealousy."

The wife-to-be gave a crooked grin, You, Dawson Leery, had juvenile jealousy? That is difficult to contemplate."

"You know I did. I was such a jerk back in Junior year. Don't me wrong, I think I had a right to be upset, but not to be angry."

"I'm still sorry about how things went down."

He waved her off, "Don't be. After all, Pacey did come to me about a year or so before and he told me that he liked you and asked for my permission to make a move."

The bride and the other Joey exclaimed in unison, "He did that?"

The bride asked, "When?"

Dawson raised a brow, "Pacey never told you? It was, I think, the day you guys went snail hunting. The point is I never had a right to be angry. Now Pacey has been gracious enough to ask me to be his best man, at least I can do is put an end to the eternal triangle."

"What to you mean, Dawson?"

"I have been so caught up with the term soulmates. I lost sight of what the word actually means. I've been lost in my own television show. We are not beyond friends, beyond lovers. I mean, you're about to take the most monumental step in a relationship by walking down the aisle to Pacey on the most spiritual day of the year. The truth is that I lost sight of who you are and haven't had the right to call you my soulmate after we were fifteen."

"Dawson, I never meant…"

He stopped her, "Joey, there's no need to protect my feelings. Joey, tell me the truth, did you think of us as soulmates?"

The bride slowly shook her head and said gently, "Not your definition, no, not since our junior year of high school, at least. Our friendship has always been one of eternal innocence, Dawson. You represented expectant comfort and joy that I craved after my mom died. And that still means the world to me, 'she half-smiled.

"Then you fell for Pacey because of my unintentional matchmaking, " Dawson stated ironically. "I am really happy for you guys, you know. It has taken me a while to admit this, but you and Pacey have always been meant to be," he grinned.

"UGH, this was a nightmare"! Joey of fifteen groaned to herself. Dawson eventually noticed her for being more than his tomboy best friend, yet somehow made her fall for Pacey, of all people.

What happened?

Pacey's little lip lock couldn't have conjured up this demented fantasy. She only hoped that she would wake up before she had to watch herself marry the doofus.

Too late.

The doofus materialized in the doorway, but he did not look like a doofus wearing his midnight black tux, which fit his masculine form perfectly. Pacey also lost that terrible Caesar style haircut. His boyish face matured into a strikingly handsome one with his blue eyes seemingly more pronounced. As he sauntered into the room- he had a I-know-I'm beautiful grin. God, she hated him, Joey of fifteen thought, or she hated herself for thinking Pacey Witter was beautiful.

"Pacey! What are you doing here?" the bride asked with an edge to her voice.

He feigned innocence, "I thought I'd join the party."

His wife-to-be crossed her arms, "Pacey, you know, we're not supposed to see each other before the ceremony."

"Umm, I'll let you two lovebirds hash this out, " Dawson bit back a grin. "I'm going to go see if my date is seated and that my mother isn't giving her the third degree."

After their friend left, the bride continued, "Pacey, don't you care about attaching more bad luck to our relationship."

"Our relationship has had bad luck? I always thought our breakups had to do with our immature decisions, " he tried to joke.

"Pacey!"

"Jo, sweetheart, it's about twelve hours to Christmas. The day for hope, faith, "His hands gestured wildly, "and good will toward men and all that. What could possibly happen? You look incredible, by the way, " Pacey added in a husky whisper, gazing intensely into her eyes.

"Nice try, but flattering will get you nowhere, " the bride replied, biting back a grin.

He smiled, then glanced down at her arm, "Hey, your mom's bracelet." He lightly brushed his fingertips across her wrist.

"I figured today is a good day to wear it, " the bride replied quietly, "since the first time I wore it at our junior prom was the night I realized I was in love with you….even if I had been too afraid to welcome the unexpected feelings at that moment."

Pacey lifted a brow and smiled, "Are you saying if I didn't remember everything you wouldn't have fallen in love? But you said you may have fallen for me even before I kissed you"

"You know, that remembering everything thing can be an annoyance sometimes, but I said I realized at prom, emphasize on realized . There's a difference. Anyway, what difference does it make?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. You brought it up, " he then grinned.

"You are unbelievable!"

"But you love me, " Pacey stated with absolute certainly.

His wife-to-be smiled crookedly, "That may be true, but you still bug me."

Their eyes locked meaningfully. The groom's gaze went to her lips and slowly leaned in.

"Oh no, you don't!" the bride suddenly pushed him away and kept pushing him toward the door.

"Ouch, What?"

"You may have weaseled your way in here, but you will not kiss me before the ceremony."

"Okay, Okay, quit pushing me. Geez, it brings back memories of our first and second kiss."

She stopped short, "What do you mean our first kiss and second?"

Pacey sighed and rubbed his chest, "Remember the day we went snail hunting. I kissed you and you rejected me."

"Oh, you got over my rejection quite quickly as I recall, " the bride replied sarcastically, then more seriously, she said, "Besides, Pace, It wasn't our time yet. We needed to mature a bit. I don't count snail day as our first kiss You barely touched my lips."

"Potter, a kiss is still a kiss, no matter what the circumstances, "

The bride countered, "Oh really? Because that day on the side of the road you said a kiss was just a kiss, making it seem like it was nothing."

"Are we really having this ridiculous conversion fifteen minutes before we say our vows?"

"Pace, you brought it up."

He sighed, then gestured with his arms, "Fine, okay, I retract the kiss is just a kiss. Every kiss means something. But what does it matter?"

"It matters because that is why we can't kiss before the vows."

Pacey wiggled his finger, "Clever, Potter."

She grinned triumphantly, but it was short lived. He quickly pulled out a mistletoe and dived toward her. "Muah," his lips brushed very lightly over the side of her mouth before he pulled back.

"Pacey!" the bride screamed, but she was laughing.

"You can't say no to mistletoe, " he grinned boyishly.

"You better go before I change my mind about marrying you."

"Oh, Jo, who are ya kidding? You can't wait to become the future Mrs. Witter, " he gently pulled her toward him before releasing her.

Then he was gone.

Leaving the bride smiling.

A reluctant half-smile also appeared on fifteen year old Joey's face. Okay, she admitted to herself, they made a good couple. They had the perfect combination of sweetness and sarcasm. She knew that their life together would be filled with the unexpected.

She also knew, however, that she had a long road ahead to becoming the bride. And they had a long road ahead to becoming that couple.


End file.
